Lot 352: Wilhelm von Siemens

Lot 352: German telecommunications industrialist (1855–1919). TLS in German, signed "W. Siemens," three pages on two adjoining sheets, 6.75 x 8.75, personal letterhead, July 30, 1913. Letter to engineer Robert Schulze. In part (translated): "Would you please send me as soon as possible some information about the boat which I cannot obtain here which is the following: 1) the total weight of the boat including all equipment, then also the separate weight for the main parts, meaning for the boat itself, machine, cables etc. 2) the weight of the water repression…In regards to the question about the preparation for the next trial period the point of making the boat visible at 20 km distance needs to be further considered. One can achieve that by choosing a high enough position for the send off station, but it should not be selected higher than normal for the ratio of the boat. If this height is not sufficient for detection, then it should be considered installing the arc lamp on the boat in a higher position which should be achieved easily by installing a mount on the boat…Finally, it is also important that you try to find a decision about if the outer bay is offering enough opportunities for the trials, let's just say beginning of September. We already noticed that the navigable water is not suitable when there are east winds. In general, we should however be able to count on winds from mainly the west." Siemens adds a few ink corrections throughout the text as well as a six-line postscript at the conclusion. Feathering to ink in the postscript and a stain to the lower right corner, otherwise fine condition.
RR Auction's Fine Autographs and Artifacts Auction 462
Wednesday, 14th October 2015
Estimate: $200-400